Nan Grey

Nan Grey (born Eschol Loleete Miller; July 25, 1921 – July 25, 1993) was an American film actress.

Born in Houston, Texas, on July 25, 1921, Grey was the daughter of stage actress Violet Ross Miller and projectionist Edward J. Miller. Despite reportedly having early on been inspired to pursue acting by her mother's example (indeed, Grey's first documented public performance was given at age 3, with "little Eschol Miller" cast as Cupid at a neighbor's bridal shower), it appears that Grey spent the bulk of her pre-teens residing solely with father and paternal grandparents. As for her own career, Grey's first bona fide foray came, circa 1930, with her entry into the Hallie R. Pritchard School of Dancing, from which she graduated in June 1934. Shortly thereafter, Grey went to Hollywood with her mother for a holiday. She was persuaded by a friend to take a screen test and ended up in pictures.

Grey attended the school that Universal Studios operated for children who had film contracts.

Grey's screen debut was in 1934 in Warner Bros.'s The Firebird. She starred opposite John Wayne in the 1936 film Sea Spoilers. Grey appeared in the Universal Monsters films Dracula's Daughter (1936) and The Invisible Man Returns (1940). She also appeared in the popular 1936 musical comedy Three Smart Girls, as well as the 1939 sequel Three Smart Girls Grow Up.

Grey played Kathy Marshall in the NBC radio soap opera Those We Love 1938-1945. Grey played in The Lux Radio Theatre, November 8, 1937 episode, "She Loves Me Not" with Bing Crosby, Joan Blondell, and Sterling Holloway

Grey's final screen credit—as well as her first and only television appearance, co-starring with newly wed spouse No. 2, singer Frankie Laine—was on the 1960 episode of Rawhide, "Incident on the Road to Yesterday". Brought about by the huge popularity of Laine's rendition of the show's theme song, the episode stars the fledgling actor as a former bandit attempting to make amends for a robbery ten years after the fact, and, in the process, being reunited with "old flame", Grey.

In the 1960s, Grey invented and marketed a cosmetic mirror especially suited to nearsighted women. An obituary noted, "Among its users was Princess Grace of Monaco."

On May 4, 1939, Grey married U. S. Racing Hall of Fame jockey Jack Westrope in Phoenix, Arizona.

She married singer Frankie Laine in June 1950, and Laine adopted Grey's daughters (Pam and Jan) from her marriage to Westrope.^{[citation needed]}

The Laines' 43-year union lasted until her death from heart failure on July 25, 1993, her 72nd birthday.